Ivanka and Jared 2: Tarnished Gold

[GreyhoundFan]

Because we can always use a little more of "The Onion":

 

[AmazonGrace]

 

Because of course he did. What's the point of owning a newspaper if you can't tell them to write nice things about you.

[AmazonGrace]

 Who wants to tell her what her dad is doing?

[AmazonGrace]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-13/kushner-s-ties-to-russia-linked-group-began-with-kissinger-lunch

Dimitri Simes heads a pro Russia org in Washington. He knows Maria Butina, Kislyak and Jared Kushner. 

[AmazonGrace]

 

[Howl]

The entire Trump lineage has always done business in their own way -- basically ignoring all the laws and requirements that apply to regular citizens chumps and losers, like, you know, the obligation to pay taxes on profits and to pay contractors and subcontractors building your buildings.  Plus, it's totes OK to pay off people to buy silence.  

[AmazonGrace]

This is Jared. Jared is a  crook.

 

[AmazonGrace]

Ivanka and Jared get to hang with the cool kids 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[AmazonGrace]

 

[AmazonGrace]

Jared has abandoned his plans to fix the world and went on a tour to convince donors that Trump is actually a competent administrator and not at all a deranged shitgibbon 

 

[AmazonGrace]

Perhaps you thought Ivanka doesn't care but she's just protecting her health  

 

[Howl]

This isn't a new story; it first came out in March or April 2018.  Long refresher:

Remember how Jared has the Bringing Peace to the Middle East portfolio in the Trump administration? This has to with allegations that Jared culled the names of dissidents, enemies and critics of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) from intelligence briefings at the WH and subsequently provided them to MBS, who promptly used them for a massive purge in the Saudi social and governmental hierarchy, and then bragged to many people about having Jared in his pocket.  MBS has charmed people into thinking he is a serious Saudi reformer, but is obviously an autocratic dictator in training.  MBS is currently swanning around the US, glad handing, giving talks and visiting here and there.  MBS was also visiting the US (and Jared) in late March, 2018. 

Early on, Jared was likely trying to curry enough favor with Saudis with enough money to offload 666 5th Ave. and get that financial monkey off his back.  He almost had a Qtari investor and a Chinese investor,  but talks about the property stalled. He eventually got Brookfield Properties  to take a 100% 99-year lease hold in August of this year, so maybe now he can back to bringing peace in the Middle East. 

Anyway, I think it's popping up again because of the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi (long-time Saudi dissident living in US and writer for WaPo), who was apparently abducted in the Saudi Embassy in Turkey on Tuesday, Oct 2. He was there to get some paperwork prior to marrying his Turkish fiance, who was waiting for him outside the Saudi embassy in Istanbul.  He went into the embassy and never came out; security footage shows that he did not leave on foot. 

Most accounts have Turkish officials confirming his murder.  There are even rumors he was dismembered and his body parts exfiltrated back to Saudi Arabia.

In a normal world, this would get sorted out pretty quickly and massive sanctions would be slapped on the Saudis.  Instead, we'll probably just sell them more weapons, because bidness, ya know and if Jared was indeed providing an enemies list, the Saudis now feel comfortable enough to murder a very well-known dissident who lives in the US, because they know there will be zero repercussions from the US.  Zero. 

 

Edited October 8, 2018 by Howl

[Howl]

BBC.com has the latest on Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance in the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul; rumors are flying, but it's pretty obvious the guy is dead, and Turkish officials have confirmed as much.  

This is a big, big deal.  Jamal Khashoggi is very well known in the Arab world as a journalist; he's been living in the US for a year and writing a monthly column for WaPo.  I thought this line was telling: 

Quote

The Washington Post also reports that prior to Mr Khashoggi's visit, US intelligence intercepted communications of Saudi officials discussing a plot to capture him.

If the US knew of this and didn't warn Khashoggi, it looks (and is) very very bad. 

Link to BBC article, not behind a paywall: Jamal Khashoggi: What we know about journalist’s disappearance

[Howl]

This is starting to blow up for the reason noted above: If the US knew of this and didn't warn Khashoggi, it looks (and is) very very bad. 

Morning Joe  (MSNBC) just spent about 20 minutes on this topic. Their last point was how the Saudis played Trump during his visit to Saudi Arabia, and totally fluffed his ego.  Maybe this topic now belongs on the Trump thread, but I don't think it will go away for a few days in the 24-hour news cycle. 

Anyway, as y'all can probably tell, just when you think this administration cannot get anymore appalling and disgusting....

[Howl]

 

[Howl]

 

[Howl]

 

[Howl]

Yes, I'm on a tear about the Jamal Khashoggi assassination.  There is so much about this that ties into the utter corruption and amorality of Kushner and Trump, and Trump's hatred for journalists, because murdering journalists who expose corruption......well, something must be done so they don't disrupt important corrupt bidness deals.  Note that I'm not accusing Trump of plotting murder, but that he just doesn't give a shit if his rhetoric encourages others to kill or injure journos OR if lack of US response telegraphs to other nations that extrajudicial killings/assassinations, as Jamal Khashoggi's certain is, can be carried out without repercussions. 

If the Turkish government releases the video and audio referred to by Jon Hudson, the shit may hit the global fan. 

This is starting to get some coverage by MSM, but not nearly enough to give context to what's going on. 

Edited October 12, 2018 by Howl

[Howl]

 

[GreyhoundFan]

@Howl -- Jamal Khashoggi lived in my area. Here's what our congressman had to say about Dumpy's dismissal of the torture and murder:

 

[Howl]

Apparently, it's likely that Jamal Khashoggi's assassination was recorded on his Apple watch. 

[WiseGirl]

16 minutes ago, Howl said:

Apparently, it's likely that Jamal Khashoggi's assassination was recorded on his Apple watch. 

I've read the same thing...

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/12/middleeast/khashoggi-saudi-turkey-recordings-intl/index.html

Because of course not...

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2018/oct/12/trump-khashoggi-case-will-not-stop-110bn-us-saudi-arms-trade-video

Because of course, this asshole did this...

Donald Trump Jr. promoted a Twitter exchange on Friday that smeared Jamal Khashoggi,...as an ally of “jihadists.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-jr-jamal-khashoggi-tweet_us_5bc14ddce4b0bd9ed55a59db

 

[Howl]

Ooopsie, from back in 1988 when the US was supporting jihadists fighting against Russians in Afghanistan?

I do fear that Jr. has political pretensions. 

[Howl]

Well, the Apple watch theory has been debunked, from highly unlikely to impossible.  More likely that the Turks had the Saudi (and all embassies) bugged and heard it on their recording devices.